10 of Ottawa’s best annual festivals

Ottawa is a city full of cultural festivals – as you would
expect from any first-class capital city. Throughout the year Canada’s capital
is full of sporting, historical, and gastronomical festivals that are sure to delight
locals and visitors alike. If you’re heading to Ottawa soon, have a look
through the following list and see if any of these festivals will be on during
your visit.

Canadian Tulip
Festival

In 1945, the Dutch Royal Family sent Ottawa 100,000 tulip bulbs
thanking them for sheltering the future Queen Juliana and her family during
World War II. Eight years later in 1953, the Canadian Tulip Festival was born.

Since then it has become the world’s largest tulip festival and includes live entertainment, military displays, and fireworks.

Ottawa Marathon

Every year, the Ottawa Marathon attracts close to 50,000
runners – some of them world record holders! Aside from the six races, there is
also a wide variety of entertainment including live music, a beer garden, and a
Health and Fitness Expo.

Tim Hortons Ottawa
Dragon Boat Festival

This four-day boating festival is one of the city’s biggest
sporting festivals and the biggest dragon racing festival in all of North
America. Aside from the races, there are also free concerts, free family activities,
food, and cultural performances.

Tim Hortons Ottawa
Ice Dragon Boat Festival

Then in the winter, you can witness the world’s largest annual Ice Dragon Boat Festival, which takes place on the frozen Rideau Canal. It also includes free concerts, family activities, and traditional dancers.

Winterlude

Canada embraces winter, and Ottawa is no exception. At Winterlude, you’ll witness glittering ice carvings and majestic snow sculptures, while your kids can have fun in a gigantic snow playground! You’ll also be able to skate along the world-famous Rideau Canal while it’s frozen over.

Ottawa Pride

Not only is Canada a very safe country for LGBTQ+
travellers, but the capital is proud to host a week-long Pride Festival. 2018’s
festival included over 50 community events that took place throughout the
capital region.

Winter Brewfest

Sample more than 100 varieties of craft beer that originate
from Ontario and Quebec at Winter Brewfest. You’ll also be treated to gourmet
food and music from local DJs.

Ottawa Children’s
Festival

Younger family members will love this five-day festival that
focuses on theatre, dance and music for young audiences.

Escapade Music
Festival

Escapade Music Festival is a must for electronica fans. It
made its debut in 2010, where almost 3,000 people attended. Since then the
festival has attracted some of the world’s biggest DJs, including Deadmau5 and
TIËSTO. Local musical talent is also showcased at the event.

Festibière de
Gatineau

Finally, we have one of the region’s biggest beer festivals. It’s your chance to sample 350 craft beers created by more than 30 Québec and Ontario Breweries – along with more than a dozen food trucks. There will also be live music and a kid’s zone.

Visit our website

disclaimer

All content provided on blog.canadatravelspecialists.com is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.
The owner of blog.canadatravelspecialists.com will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.
Read our Privacy Policy

We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Continue using our site if you are ok with this.OkPrivacy policy